


Deep Within the Catacomb

by mtwalker, SalmonCenter



Series: Feral Jasper [2]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Emmett/Rosalie is really just in the background, F/M, Hellfire Club, Torpor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26907268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtwalker/pseuds/mtwalker, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalmonCenter/pseuds/SalmonCenter
Summary: The Cullen siblings are taking a vacation in England and they find something they didn't expect.
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Emmett Cullen/Rosalie Hale
Series: Feral Jasper [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073228
Comments: 55
Kudos: 58





	1. Those Hands Pulled Me From the Earth

“I’m just saying, wandering around old ruins isn’t exactly what I expected when you suggested we take a family vacation,” Alice frowned, tapping on her phone. As far as their small North Dakotan community college was concerned, the Cullen siblings were currently off on a “study abroad trip”, leaving their parents with the whole house to themselves. In reality, it was just an excuse to get in some traveling during the semester, since most of them only had a couple interesting classes to begin with. Edward, apparently, hadn’t completely understood the plan to avoid learning. Why was she not surprised?

“They’re not just old ruins. It’s history! Our history! Maybe if you payed attention, you’d learn a thing or two.” Edward rolled his eyes. He had been busying himself studying what little history of vampires he could find, and now was his time to show off what he had learned. Emmett laughed, clapping Edward on the shoulder.

“Come on, man. Just tell us what weird vampire thing happened here forever ago so we can head out. I think I heard something running around the woods up top and I wanna see if I can catch it.” Emmett grinned, kicking a loose stone across the cave floor. He was a man of simple pleasures, but always quick to resolve conflict. A perfect balance to their little group.

Edward cleared his throat, annoyed, but not enough to miss an opportunity to share his knowledge. “The Hellfire Club was a prestigious group of England’s elite, and was started by-”

“Cliff notes version, please,” Rosalie interrupted, rolling her eyes.

“Fine. There was a group of rich nobles in the 18th century who had an organization called the Hellfire Club, in which they would participate in socially perceived immoral acts-”

“Kinky.” Emmett put an arm around Rosalie’s shoulder. Alice looked up from the back of the group, sliding her phone into her pocket. Maybe this story wouldn’t be as completely boring as she had thought.

“And there were rumors that they had hold of a demon who ‘fed on the blood of innocents’. They kept the demon locked away, offering it sustenance only if it would do their bidding. Eventually, realizing they couldn’t control it, they sealed it away for eternity.” A chill ran through them. Eternity was a very real thing to four vampires, and wasn’t something they took lightly.

“That’s a load of bullshit,” Emmett said, coming to a stop. “Humans enslaving vampires? Come on, Eddie. Even you have to admit, that one sounds pretty fake.”

“I’m not saying it isn’t. Just that it could have been. I know not everything in books is fact.”

“You sure about that? Because sometimes I’m not so sure you do.”

Alice tuned her brothers out, choosing instead to think on the end of Edward’s story. Trapped for eternity. Alone. In the dark. Down here where you would never be found. It was a haunting thought. But it wasn’t the fear of madness or starvation that frightened her. It was the loneliness. The idea of being completely isolated in the dark, with no one to talk to. No one to look at. Just you alone with your mind for company. She wasn’t sure why, but the image left a sinking feeling of dread in her stomach. Suddenly, her senses shifted around her. It was a slightly unnerving feeling, one that she knew preceded her visions. Her mind was a flash of quick images, trying to take in as much as possible. Through the tunnels. A wall. And…

She gasped, her thoughts bringing Edward’s argument to a halt. The two made eye contact and, without another word, took off through the caves. Emmett and Rosalie followed behind, hesitating a fraction of a second behind the other pair’s confident movements. They turned through the winding cave system, completely sure of their path. Alice was at the head, the others having to duck when the ceiling got lower. Eventually, it opened up again into a series of diverging paths.

Alice pulled to a stop at a seemingly dead end, turning quickly to look at Emmett. “Behind that wall! Quick! He’s in there!” Emmett didn’t hesitate, throwing his shoulder against the stone. Their was a loud crunch, a deep crack curling its way up the wall. He slammed again, and Alice continued to give out orders, telling Edward to move the fallen stone away and Rosalie to find something to eat. The others nodded, knowing better than to question her when she was so confident. _Never bet against Alice._ She moved closer to Emmett, pulling at the rock with her bare hands, fingernails leaving long gouges where they raked blindly for purchase. She could just make out an arm, torso, blonde hair…

“Shit, there’s actually a guy in here!” Emmett exclaimed, moving with a newfound vigor.

The four stood, piles of rubble around their feet, and looked in horror at the man in front of them. His skin was a pale grey, pulled tight over every tensed muscle. His blonde hair hung limply in his face, covered in a layer of dust and hiding his expression. A stake was jammed deep into his chest, a splintering spiderweb of gashes spreading out from his heart. Alice was the first to move, stepping silently towards him. She reached out a hand to gently brush his hair out of his face and tensed at the sight of his eyes. They were black as pitch, the darkest she had ever seen on anyone. But what startled her was how _alive_ they were. He was watching her, his eyes so full of pain that they seemed to stab into her. She turned quickly to look at Edward, who’s gaze had never left the mysterious figure.

“What happened? I thought stakes were just a legend.”

“Torpor.” The word was almost a breath on his lips, the shock evident on his face. “Some say that stakes won’t kill vampires, but they keep them in a paralyzed state. Their muscles tense up and they can’t do anything until it’s removed. They still feel, hear, sense everything. But they’re…”

“Helpless,” Alice finished, turning back to the man. “Rose, can you bring that rat up here?” She heard her sister move up beside her, holding the rat still in her long fingers. Alice placed a hand lightly on the stake, not breaking eye contact with the other vampire. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered, and pulled the wood out in one smooth motion.

The movement was so fast that, had any humans been in the room with them, they would have missed it in an instant. But the other four saw the blonde tear the rat out of Rosalie’s hand, draining it completely dry in a matter of seconds, and then fall to his knees in front of Alice.

“Master.” The word came out hoarse and gravelly, a voice that hadn’t been used in centuries. Alice knelt down and tilted his chin up, looking him in the eyes. A sudden and unrelenting wave of emotion ran over her, startling her. She had never felt something so strong before. And in her core, she only had one word for it. Hope.


	2. Something Lonesome About You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The amazing and talented SalmonCenter wrote a continuation of my one shot, so we might just ride this one out and see where it goes! Credit for this whole chapter goes to her, I'm just posting it.

Bringing home a starving vampire proved to be much easier than Alice could have ever expected.The man, as feral as he was, followed her commands without fail. He was as easy to manipulate as a doll, standing motionless under the spray of hot water in the hotel room while centuries of dust and grime was scrubbed away.He didn’t lunge at any of the humans, wouldn’t move unless led by hand, and didn’t speak any more than one word at a time.*Master.*

Introducing said vampire to her adoptive parents? Not too hard either.Carlisle was wary, of course, but Esme was already at the door with a new set of clothes and as much deer blood as the man could stomach. Slowly but surely, his eyes washed into a vibrant gold, matching the color of his newly washed-and-conditioned hair.He was allowed to stay, of course, because where else would he go?Edward proves to be unhelpful, insisting that the man was only thinking about one thing on repeat.Master master master master. Nothing substantial, nothing to help them figure out his identity.Even his old clothes offered very little, faded and worn away in spots.Edward and Carlisle had already begun doing research by the time Alice had the man in the guest bedroom.

Teaching a near-comatose vampire how to live was something Alice had never seen herself doing. 

“So, this is your room.You get the best one, really!The nicest view, and it’s the only room with a real bed!I guess you won’t ever need it, but it’s still fun to have.” Alice fills the silence easily, still acutely aware of how the man’s eyes follow her so intently.“Here’s the bathroom.It’s mostly full of human stuff, but you still need to wash your hair and all. I guess-”She turns around, frowning.“I guess you don’t really know about any of this, do you?”

The man says nothing.

“No problem.I can teach you!” Alice grins, suddenly staring past the man for a moment.“Oh!You should try out the bed.Esme always makes sure to buy high thread count sheets.”She lets herself fall back on the mattress with a *thump* before holding her hand out for the man.He doesn’t hesitate, reaching out for her immediately and taking her hand into his own.Alice tugs him close and is happy to see the man’s facial expression change for a split second - surprise.“Come on!Sit next to me. I promise you’ll like it!”

She tugs his hand again and the man complies, making his way onto the mattress warily, mimicking the way Alice sits with her legs folded underneath her.There’s a flicker of recognition in his eyes and another wave of hope crashes over Alice, hope that maybe this man can be saved. 

“Lie down.The pillows are nice, too.”Alice speaks softly, pressing a hand on the man’s chest and guiding him onto his back.She lies down too, their hands still intertwined.Yes, this could work.

Edward finds them side-by-side an hour later, still on the bed.The man doesn’t seem to notice when he knocks but his eyes flicker over towards Alice as she speaks.

“Come in!I’m just filling him in on all of the movies he missed!I think we’ll watch a movie next, just so he has some context.It’s hard to explain a TV screen without any-”

“He has a name,”Edward interrupts, stepping inside but still keeping his distance.They both noticed the litany of scars that covered the man’s skin when he changed. Deep, expansive bite marks that could be found almost everywhere on him.Even his face, pale and eventoned, was molted with scars.“It comes from the old legends.Gaspar.Or, as we might say today-”

“Jasper.”Alice finishes the sentence for him, sitting up.Jasper does the same.“Your name is Jasper!What a pretty name!”She sings, enjoying the way his eyes light up with recognition. Edward looks far too pleased with himself, too, and takes a step forward.

That’s when all hell breaks loose. 

It’s always hard for Alice to understand what happens during a crisis.In chronological order, at least.It all gets muddled up.All she knows for sure is that, at some point, Jasper growls. Edward puts his hands up, and then he doesn’t, and then Emmett crashes through the doorway. When she pulls Jasper back against her, his body still weak from centuries of neglect, the doorway is back on its hinges and Edward’s hands are up again. Jasper has stopped growling. Was he ever growling?

“It’s okay.It’s okay.He’s my brother, Jazz, and he won’t hurt me.I promise.” Alice whispers into his ear quickly.Edward takes a step back, hands still in the universal ‘not going to hurt you’ gesture. *What happened?*

“I came too close.”Edward’s voice is low and he’s making his way back to the door.“Alice, I’m going to go get Carlisle.Don’t make any sudden movements.”

“Don’t be silly.”Alice chides gently despite her stuttering breath.Jasper doesn’t fight against her grasp, but keeps his gaze focused intently on Edward. There’s a slight rumble in his chest as he reaches for the door knob.“You just scared him, that’s all.” _We’re fine. He wasn’t going to do anything._

Edward narrowed his eyes. He had seen exactly what would happen with greater clarity than Alice had.And yet, he didn’t look angry.Neither of them were, in fact, anything more than mildly uncomfortable. It was as if all of the tension and fear in the room had been diffused, replaced with a calming ambiance bordering on intoxicating.Alice’s eyes widened and she glanced back up at Edward who nodded.

_An empath_

They all met around the table when the sun was low, Jasper looking much more presentable now than he ever had.His hair was brushed neatly against his head and his clothes, despite being ill-fitting, were clean.Despite this, he was frozen by Alice’s side, unmoving and unwilling to let go of her hand.It was funny to see such a large, scarred man in comparison to Alice’s delicate and tiny frame.Alice turned to look at Carlisle before he spoke.

“This certainly wasn’t what I was expecting when Edward took you to the catacombs. Nevertheless, we’re glad to have you, Jasper.”Carlisle smiled kindly.Jasper didn’t acknowledge him.They all turned to Edward in unison.

“He thinks we’re a powerful coven,”Edward shrugged, much to Jasper’s evident surprise. Well, surprise might be a strong word.His eyes flickered towards Edward and then back to Alice quickly, but that seemed to be a lot of movement for him.“And that Alice is a kind master.”Carlisle is the only one to chuckle.Alice just squeezes the man’s hand. 

“Well, we’re not exactly a coven, Jasper.I think that I speak for all of us when I say that we are a family.Alice is not your master, as kind as she is.”Carlisle speaks firmly.“And you are welcome to stay for as long as you like, provided that you follow some cursory rules.”

“He’s not going to break any rules,”Edward rolls his eyes.“Not with the way he’s following Alice around.”Somehow, Edward has broken the tension in the room with his childlike behavior, and Emmett is quick to follow suit.

“It’s not fair, you know.Rose caught the rat.He should be following her around!”Emmett complains, yelping when Rosalie jabs him in the ribs.

“Like you’d let him!Besides, Edward is the one who brought us down there in the first place.” 

“Wait, what rat?”Esme frowns, looking around herself suddenly as if the rodents might appear beneath her.It’s not a far off assumption-They’ve brought home worse.Edward answers her quickly before Emmett has a chance to describe his heroism, and Alice begins to feel somewhat isolated from the conversation.She doesn’t see a moment to interject, a moment when she can contribute to the story, only that she will lead Jasper to the sofa and-

“Alice, why don’t you show Jasper to the living room?I’m sure he’d be interested to see the TV.”Carlisle’s gentle voice breaks through the commotion. 

They spend the rest of the evening on the sofa, Alice watching Jasper’s gaze closely as she flips through channels, trying her best to see what he’s interested in.Ultimately, Edward joins them, but it’s Emmett who finally gets it right with a minor league baseball game on the public access channel.Jasper’s eyes flicker towards to screen every time the *crack* of the bat is heard, and he even seems to be listening as they all try to explain the rules of their homebrewed version. 

“I bet you’d make one Hell of a batter.”Emmett grins.Jasper, to everyone’s surprise, grins back.


	3. Ask to be Unbroken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one last credit-based reminder. SalmonCenter and I are alternating chapters, so anything even is written by her, and anything odd by me.

If any Cullen had ever complained about the monotony of eternal life, they surely were regretting it now. Living with a newly-awakened vampire was anything but boring.

Firstly, he didn’t speak. Some might see this as a positive, initially. What they soon realized was that it made interpreting for him almost impossible at times. The only clues they had to his state of being were the flashes that Edward was able to gather in his thoughts, but even those were often unclear and ill-formed. Snatches of words fumbling around in his mind, as if he hadn’t needed to string together anything coherent in a long time. Which, to be fair, he hadn’t. This lack of communication just built on to the second challenge.

Jasper was what one might call skittish. That is, if one was referring to a feral cat, perhaps. They were never quite sure what might set him off. Everything was so new to him, and new seemed to always register as a threat in his mind. So far they had been “protected” from the gas fireplace, the vacuum, Emmett’s subwoofer’s, and a particularly sharp fountain pen. If they were lucky, Edward was usually around to pinpoint the object of distress, and Alice was able to calm him down enough to avoid a large scale destruction.

“Okay, just sit right there!” Alice instructed cheerfully, pointing to a stool at the end of her vanity. While she was sure Jasper didn’t actually mind having wet hair, she felt a responsibility to make sure he was fully taken care of. And if she got the benefit of running her fingers through his soft blonde curls, she wasn’t going to complain. Normally she would just use a towel, taking the time to ring out larger chunks and rustle the rest until it was soft. But she had just gotten a brand new hair dryer, courtesy of late night shopping, and she couldn’t wait to try it out.

She plugged it in next to her and turned back to face Jasper. He was watching her very intently, his gold eyes looking from her to the hair dryer. “Just hold still, okay?” He sat up straighter, still as stone. Well, that wasn’t exactly what she had meant, but no harm done. She moved around behind him and flicked it on, hot air blowing loudly onto his hair. An intense energy that she couldn’t place filled the air around her. It was as if she was waiting for something to go wrong. But why? She hadn’t seen anything. Perhaps she was just worried _because_ she hadn’t seen anything. She had been so focused on Jasper lately that avoiding disaster had become a regular challenge. But, like they say, “No news is good news”.

“So I was thinking we might order you some more clothes soon.” Talking usually calmed Alice down. Filling long silences with meaningless chatter was a relaxing habit, almost therapeutic in nature. “Maybe some sweaters before it gets too cold. I know, I know. Weather doesn’t effect us. But it helps to blend in, you know?” She often spoke as if he would respond. She liked to think that maybe it would encourage him to actually speak. Not that she minded, of course. He could take his time, if he needed. But she would be lying if she said she wasn’t excited to hear his voice again.

“And maybe we could look into something for baseball. You liked what Emmett was telling you about it, right? Maybe you two could play together!” She laughed. “It’ll be nice to have someone new to play with. We’ve all been playing together for ages. It’s easy to read everyone. You’ll mix it up, you know?” She ran her fingers through his hair with her free hand, trying to smooth it out without pulling. “But watch out for Edward, okay? He’s a dirty cheat.”

As if summoned by the mention of his name, the eldest Cullen son stepped around the corner and stood in Alice’s doorway. Since the first night, when Jasper had proven himself very defensive of his “master”, Edward has made sure to be cautious when entering a room that contained the pair. He glanced around, his eyes stopping on the hair dryer. A look of light confusion turned into understanding, with a glint of humor in his eyes.

“Can I help you?” Alice asked, turning off the hair dryer and sitting it aside.

“Just wondering where the uneasy feeling was coming from. I think I found the source.”

“Wanna share with the class?” Alice folded her arms across her chest. She hated it when Edward was particularly smug. He got a weird sort of satisfaction from withholding information that only he had, which only served to infuriate her.

“Let’s just say you should perhaps inform your friend that the hair dryer you are using isn’t some elaborate torture device.”

Her eyes went wide, looking back down at Jasper. She rushed around him, kneeling in front of the stool so she was looking him in the eye. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I had no idea! Did you really…” She winced, noticing the fear and confusion evident on his face. She ran her hand through his hair, her nails scratching lightly along his scalp, trying to calm the tension that ran through him like a current. “It’s okay. You haven’t done anything wrong, Jasper. I just… I should have explained what I was doing. I keep forgetting just how _new_ everything is to you.” Worry turning into guilt, she frowned and her chest tightened. He was _her_ responsibility, after all.

“He doesn’t like that,” Edward commented form the door.

“Doesn’t like what?” Alice asked, still looking at Jasper. She softly pulled her hand away, watching his eyes for any reaction.

“That you’re frowning.”

Jasper slowly reached out a hand towards her. She stayed very still, watching him carefully. Inside she was thrilled. Curious. A little proud. Whatever he was doing, the fact that he was truly initiating it was a step forward, and Alice would take whatever little victories she could.

He hesitated, glancing at her as if he were waiting for confirmation that what he was doing, whatever that may be, wasn’t going to cross any sort of line. She gave him a small nod, trying to convey as much trust as she could without startling him. He gently placed his hand on her head, running his fingers slowly through her short dark hair, mimicking the movement she had done moments earlier. He was trying to comfort her, like she had comforted him. Her heart ached with pride, a smile spreading widely across her face.

“Thank you,” she said, quiet enough for only him to hear. She could have sworn that the corner of his mouth turned up ever so slightly.


	4. Act of Making' Noise

The dinner table, Alice mused one evening, has never seen so much use.Jasper was sitting (Yes- Sitting!) next to her with the rest of the family gathered around.This was now a daily meeting, one that Emmett had affectionately named the “Weird Behavior Briefing.”They all spent an hour or so every evening discussing Jasper’s progress, setting goals for him to meet, and inevitably looking to Edward for translation.That, of course, was the topic of discussion today.

“Edward will have to return to school at some point.” Carlilse points out, running one hand through his hair.It’s a difficult situation, but Edward was going for a neurology degree and his professors will only take the excuse of a family emergency for so long.“All of you will, unless you’re willing to take a leave of absence, but we’ll be moving soon. 

“They can’t stay home forever.” Esme shakes her head, and it’s true.While the past few weeks have been full of significant improvements, mainly his willingness to tolerate heat-drying his hair, Jasper has still been unwilling to speak.His mutism had come to a head that morning when he had spent nearly an hour without letting anyone know that he was acutely terrified of listening to the radio, leaving the Cullen household in chaos as they all tried to understand the pure terror that accosted them.Rosalie had been the one to figure it out, finally crushing the radio under her foot as Jasper sat motionless on the sofa, Alice in his lap trying to calm him. 

“He _can_ speak.We all heard it.”Alice insisted, half defending Jasper and half wondering if his deep voice was actually a vision. It wouldn’t be the first time that her visions had been so vivid, so real that she finds herself living in the future instead of the present.To her relief, Edward nods.“He can do it.Can’t you, Jasper?” 

Jasper’s frown is almost imperceptible, but they all catch it, so used to over analyzing his facial expressions for even just an inkling of communication.They remain silent, as if he might speak again, but he just looked desperately to Alice for guidance.Alice rubs her thumb against his wrist. He’ll talk when he’s ready.Right?

“He thinks you’re his master, right?” Emmett raises his eyebrows, using a term that Carlisle has all but banned.“Why don’t you just-I don’t know.Order him to?”

So begins a new phase in Alice’s life, a phase in which she forces an 18th century Vampire to speak by commanding him to repeat phrases. 

“Jasper, say Hello.”

“Hello.”

“Say Jasper.That’s you.”

“Jasper.That’s you.”

“Oh!What about Alice? Say Alice!”

“Alice.”Hearing him say her name sends shivers down her spine.

“Say WAP!” Emmett snickers from across the room.

“Shut up!Don’t say that, Jazz.Say whatever you want to.”

“Whatever you want to.”Jasper repeats while Emmett and Edward break out in laughter.

“I mean-Whenever you think something, Jazz, I want you to say it.No matter what it is.Okay?”Alice took his hands into her own, giving him a firm look.

“Okay.”

It turns out that Jasper really doesn’t have a lot to say, something the Carlisle and Edward are sure has to do with living in silence for so long.He still spends most of the day in silence, but Alice treats the few words he speaks as gold. When she offers him choice, he _chooses_ , and Edward finally leaves them alone.

Quickly, though, Alice realizes that teaching Jasper to say “No” right away might have been a mistake.Actually, it was a big mistake.Probably the biggest mistake of her life.

“You have to learn how to read. I can’t just keep reading everything to you, you know.”Alice speaks as she drags a finger along Carlisle’s bookshelf. 

“No.”Jasper answers, and Alice isn’t sure if he’s agreeing or refusing.The latter, most likely.He’s still in the same position Alice left him in that morning, the two of them having spent the morning in Carlisle’s office, going through his massive collection to try to find something- anything- that will inspire Jasper to read.

“Here!This one is about ghosts and-”

“No.”Jasper repeats, frowning.Alice starts to regret teaching him to have opinions.It was so easy when he just did what she said. 

“Oh!I loved Pride and Prejudice when I first-” Alice begins, already anticipating Jasper’s response.

“No.” 

“Okay, you have to read Henry the Fifth!.”She pulls the thick book out from it’s spot, dusting off the cover and skipping over to it.“And I’m not taking No for an answer!”Alice lays the book down on the desk in front of Jasper, opening it to the first page. 

“It’s written by Shakespeare.Try to say that. Please?” She coaxes, but Jasper remains steadfast in his resolution against learning anything new.

“You.You read.” He pushed the book towards her, using far too much strength.The table creaks beneath him.

“Sh-akes-pear,” Alice sounds out, tracing the letters slowly.“There’s a character list here.My name is first! Ah-liss.”Suddenly, Jasper seems much more interested. He watches as Alice traces her own name, brow furrowing in concentration.It’s just about the cutest thing Alice has ever seen.“Now you try!Just sound it out.”

“Ah-lus,”Jasper manages, voice gravely from centuries of neglect. He turns to look at Alice directly, putting his hand over her own and tracing the letter with her.“Alice.” 

Alice has never been prouder than the evening when Jasper gets to show off all he’s learned, spelling out everyone’s name at the dinner table.Each member of the family is equally thrilled when he spells out, and then reads, their name off of a piece of paper. Emmett is the happiest, cheering Jasper on when he reads out every single one of his repeating letters.Really, they should have seen it coming.What does Emmett do every time he’s excited?Every time something good happens?Hell, even when nothing’s happening but he’s just feeling like it?

Jasper cowers, letting out a pitiful sound and nearly falling out of his chair when Emmett goes to high five him.Alice catches him, wrapping her arms around him from the back and keeping him upright.

“It’s okay!It’s okay, Jazz, I promise.It’s just-”Alice held his forearm gently, lifting it up until his hand was pressed against Emmett’s.“It’s just a high-five.” 

“Progress!” Emmett cheers again, oblivious to Jasper’s confusion. 


	5. Better Version of Me

All Jasper had needed, it turned out, was the right book. He still wasn’t overly fond of reading, preferring instead to listen to the words with his eyes closed. So they compromised. He and Alice would alternate reading chapters, Jasper taking the words a bit slower, but his sentences becoming smoother the more time they spent together. She was simply bursting with pride, knowing that the others in her house could hear his improvement. He still didn’t talk as much as she would like, usually only speaking if pressed. Sometimes he would make small comments under his breath, rolling the words around in his mouth, and her heart would ache, full of joy.

It took a few tries before she realized that he was fond of Westerns. She had been making her way through a shelf of books Carlisle had collected over the years, things he referred to as “classics.” After the first three chapters of _Shane_ , Jasper was hooked. Before, when Alice asked what he wanted to do, still trying to enforce the idea of personal opinions, he would simply shrug and wait for her to pick an activity. Now he would hold out the book, a look of genuine excitement in his eyes. How could she deny him such a simple pleasure?

This love of Westerns was something that she decided to cling to. It was a defining characteristic that he had shown, not that Edward had read about in one of his books. So she made sure to buy more, not wanting him to run out. She even branched out to movies, showing him things like _Gunsmoke_ and _The Desperate Trail_. The grin on his face, the look of pure happiness it brought him, was more than enough.

It was that smile that drove her to online shopping. Now, of course she missed shopping on some level, but she had been preoccupied with the 6’3 slightly feral vampire that had suddenly fallen under her care. Not that she minded. She actually enjoyed her time with Jasper. Which was why she wanted to buy him something. She had already planned on ordering him some clothes, since he could only keep stealing things from Edward and Emmett for so long. Neither of her brother’s clothes fit him very well, and he deserved belongings of his own. But an idea had come to her, and she knew that it wouldn’t leave her alone until she acted. Which is why, when the packages arrived, she pulled Jasper along by the wrist to his room and insisted he open them all right there. Excitement was buzzing through her.

Of course there were the obvious purchases. Shirts, pants, shoes, etcetera. She had even gotten a baseball jersey, reminding herself to convince Emmett to play with him the next time it stormed. It wouldn’t take much convincing; he was already incredibly fond of Jasper. She had saved the best for last, shoving a final box into his arms. He gave her a slightly confused look, tearing the cardboard as if it were tissue paper. The leather hat looked even better in person; the dark stain standing out against his pale skin.

“What are you waiting for? Put it on!” Alice’s grin widened, watching him turn it over in his hands. He gently ran a finger along the seam, as if one wrong movement would make it disappear. His golden eyes glanced up at her, waiting again for approval. She stared back, not giving direction one way or the other. He would have to act on his own.

Slowly, so very slowly, he placed the cowboy hat on his head. His curls brushed against it, the shadow of the brim doing wonders for his cheekbones. If Alice had breath, it would have been stolen by the sight. She inched slowly forward, running a finger lightly along the brim.

“Yeehaw,” she muttered under her breath. Her hand travelled down, brushing against his chest.

Suddenly he was gone. Pressed against the far wall of the room, his hat askew, his hand rubbing against his chest. Alice blinked in surprise, not expecting such a strong reaction. She approached him slowly again, her hands up so he could see them.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” What had she done, exactly? They had touched each other before. Held hands. She had even helped bathe him a few times, before he really got the hang of the shower. So what had been different? She took in the fear in his eyes, the repetitive motion of his hand pressing into his chest, and gasped. “Oh, Jasper. I’m so sorry.” She moved closer to him, carefully pulling his shirt aside to see that, yes, this was the exact spot he had been staked. She had worked so hard to build that trust between them, and it had been shattered so quickly.

His hand touched her chin, slowly tilting her head up to look him in the eye. He shook his head, brushing the fingers of his other hand through her hair. Alice had learned to read him over the past few weeks, becoming an excellent Jasper-interpreter, but anyone could see what he was saying now. _Don’t be sad. I’ll fix it._ He let her go, reaching up to tilt the cowboy hat like he had seen in so many movies. His voice came out rugged, still scratchy from disuse, but with a warm tone that made her whole body relax.

“Yeehaw, Ma’am.”


	6. Dead and Buried

Jasper won’t eat. No, Alice shakes her head, that’s not right. Jasper eats all the time. He eats whatever he’s brought, draining it of blood efficiently and without hesitation. It doesn’t matter who brings the food to him, or what he’s offered. Jasper isn’t picky- he’ll eat rats, deer, even old congealed animal blood they keep stocked up in the freezer. 

He’s not starving, either, since they make sure to keep him as well fed as a newborn, just in case. Carlisle still worries, though, that his lack of decision making is a sign of some sort of deeper trauma. It doesn’t make sense, really. Jasper has become pretty opinionated in every other aspect of his new life, from his clothing (always western) to who he spends his time with (always Alice). His constant presence means that Alice has been forced to eat what he eats, and if she’s being honest, it’s kind of gross. Congealed blood is the worst- almost chewy, a sensation Alice hasn’t wanted to experience since Emmett dared her to try cafeteria jello. She’s more than thrilled when the sun came up one morning with the assurance that they would go out, and they would be feeding on something alive. Something that’s not a rodent. 

“Elk is so much better than deer,” Alice promises, smoothing down Jasper’s golden hair and helping him button up his shirt. He’s fairly certain that half of the things he lets her help with he could do on his own, but Alice doesn’t mind. Jasper has even started to help her, zipping up dresses she can’t reach the backs of and offering her support when she puts on high heels. It takes just as long for them to get out of the front door, Esme nodding at them knowingly as they avoid the rest of the family. Not that they’re worried about getting caught, of course, it’s just that Alice foresees a thousand arguments about how ready Jasper is and whether or not he’s safe outside of the house. It doesn’t matter, really, because Jasper *is* ready, and no one should be betting against the psychic. 

Watching Jasper in the forest is like watching a new man, one who is so drastically different from the man who escaped the catacombs all those weeks ago. He’s confident, though he doesn’t stray far, and studies the world around him without fear. When Alice pulls him along a ravine, closer towards the pack of elks, Jasper follows easily, keeping a tight grip on her hand as they run. He’s in his element, it seems, ducking under branches and climbing quickly over rocks. Then, the world shifts. Reality slows down for a moment, and a bullet wizzes past Alice’s head. No, it will. No, it did already. The scent of humans takes her by surprise, something that everyone thinks never happens. Well, maybe it doesn’t, because a moment later and the vision has passed, but they’re still running.

“Jasper, don’t-” A bullet wizzes past Alice’s head, interrupting her, and Jasper goes still. Frighteningly still, almost like he’s planning something and- There’s blood. Everywhere. Someone is shouting and Alice ducks when she knows she should, then grabs at Jasper blindly. Three steps forward. Big steps. A foot to the right. A soft, warm hand on her face. Alice reaches up and places her hand on top of it, looking up at Jasper’s blood red eyes. “What have you done?”

It takes them less than ten minutes to bury the bodies. If Jasper feels any remorse for 

what he’s done, he’s sure as Hell not sharing. They’re hunters, Alice figures, looking for the same game they were. The wrong place at the wrong time. A bullet meant for an animal had come so close to her head. Not that it would have hurt. Not that it even scared her. (Okay, so it was a tiny bit scary, but that’s not the point.) Jasper had killed two men, two living, breathing people because he thought she was in danger. And now he felt too much to open up, too scared to let Alice help him. A slip up isn’t the end of the world, but Alice has a funny feeling that it is for Jasper. 

She cleans him off in the stream, Jasper clinging so hard to her hand that she’s a little bit worried her fingers will shatter, but not so worried that she pulls her hand away. They’re more or less clean by the time they make it back home, and Alice isn’t surprised to see Esme on the back porch with clean clothes for both of them. She offers to dress Jasper while Alice changes around the corner, for her modesty. It’s silly, really, because Jasper was less than fully dressed when they first met, and he had needed about a thousand showers afterwards, but Alice goes around the corner anyways. 

She peels her soaked shirt away and does the same with her pants, quickly slipping into an old dress (Esme doesn’t trust that she’s really washed the blood away) and turning the corner again, back to the porch. What greets her is a truly surprising sight. Jasper, despite his height, has somehow managed to tuck his head into the crook of Esme’s neck. Esme’s arms are around him, hands rubbing circles against his back as his shoulders shake. 

“Jaz, are you-” Alice begins, and Jasper lifts his head up. Of course he wasn’t crying. None of them can cry, not real tears at least. He steps back from Esme and gives her the once over before taking a step forward, arms hanging awkwardly by his sides.

Alice doesn’t know how long they stay locked together, her head against Jasper’s silent chest why he keeps his hands splayed out against her possessively, but the sun rises before they head back inside. 

  
  



	7. Come And Save Me From It

“Jasper,” Carlisle’s hands were folded in front of him, the epitome of composed given the situation, “Why did you attack those humans?” The others in the room were not so calm. Edward, for instance, hadn’t stopped pacing, which annoyed Alice. He was going to make Jasper restless. The last thing they needed was to scare him.

Jasper glanced over at Alice, waiting for her approval. She nodded, patting his hand gently. “Go ahead.”

“Master was in danger,” he said, as if it were the most obvious reason in the world.

“Jasper, I wasn’t really in danger. They didn’t hit me, and even if they had, I would have been fine. A little hurt, but fine.”

Jasper shook his head, his brow furrowed and his jaw set. “Danger.” He was very insistent. There was that stubborn streak she knew so well. She sighed, looking back at Carlisle.

“Alright, well, why didn’t you simply incapacitate them? They still wouldn’t have been a threat.”

Jasper tilted his head, confused. 

“He doesn’t know why you would do that.” Edward finally spoke, not taking his eyes off of Jasper. He had finally stopped pacing, choosing to lean against the wall with his arms folded. “He thinks killing them is faster, and then you can eat them. More efficient.”

“Well, Jasper, we don’t believe in eating humans.” Carlisle was incredibly patient, a soft smile on his face. Jasper straightened up a little. 

“Very easy. Humans are not hard to catch. I can show.”

“No, no. We know that you  _ can _ eat them. We just don’t. We’d rather feed on animals and allow the humans to live in peace.”

Jasper looked back at Alice, who nodded in agreement. “None of us drink human blood.”

“He will follow our rules. I don’t think he understands why, but he won’t eat people if he can avoid it.”

_ Well, _ Alice thought,  _ It’s a step in the right direction. _

“Jasper, you called Alice ‘Master.’ Who were your old masters?”

Jasper tensed next to her, rubbing a hand along the scar over his heart. He shook his head so subtly that, had they not been watching for it, they would have missed it entirely. Edward, on the other hand, straightened up in shock.

“It’s them. In his memories. The Hellfire Club. I recognize Sir Francis Dashwood from paintings I’ve seen.”

Jasper let out a quiet whine at the mention of his old master, his rubbing turning into frantic scratching, his nails digging at his chest. Alice quickly reached over, grabbing his hand to attempt to stop him. He flinched, slamming a second later against the wall in an attempt to run. Carlisle stood, moving towards him, but Alice put up a hand to stop him.

Jasper was running. Standing. Running. Carlisle was moving towards him, chasing him- no, his head was on the floor, body in pieces. He was watching her, whole again. Worried. Confused. 

“Don’t! Just… let me,” She inched slowly towards him, moving silently across the wooden floor. She stopped a couple feet in front of him, watching as he continued to dig at the pale, scarred flesh. “Jazz.” She spoke quietly, trying not to startle him again. He looked up at her quickly, his eyes still red and full of panic. His wavy hair hung in his face, the vision of it bringing her back to the night they found him. It pained her, her mind flashing through the past rather than the future she was so used to. “It’s okay. They’re gone. They won’t hurt you.” 

He looked around the room, frantic, as if the ghosts that haunted him would come crawling out of the dark to grab him. Alice slowly held out a hand to him, waiting patiently as he looked from her, to her hand, to the rest of the room, and back again. They stood there in silence for what could have been hours or minutes, Alice was never very good with time. But, eventually, Jasper pulled his hand away from his chest, the long scratches he had dug into himself already healing over. He slowly reached out and placed his hand lightly on hers, watching her intently. She moved closer to him, entwining their fingers. “Better?”

Jasper nodded, gesturing to her. “Better.”

Alice smiled softly, glancing over at Carlisle. “I’m going to take Jasper out. Get some fresh air, okay?”

“Yes, I think that will help. Edward, look into whatever you can about these… legends.”

Edward nodded, seemingly excited at the prospect of another opportunity to present his research to the rest of the family. Emmett liked to call them a “captive audience,” and Alice was inclined to agree. 

She gently led Jasper out of the house. He was still watching her, studying her as they headed along the worn path to the clearing she knew so well. She wanted to ask about his old masters, to know what they had done to him and, more importantly, how to help him. But the thought of bringing them up, of scaring him like that all over again, made her chest ache. 

They came to a stop in a grassy clearing, a messy diamond carved into the dirt. She pulled him over to center field, sitting down and tugging his hand until he joined her. She stretched out, kicking off her shoes and curling her toes around the blades of grass. The wind blew around them, making her hair curl around her face. She let go of his hand, picking the small white flowers that dappled the clearing around her. 

“Master  _ was _ in danger.”

Well, he was back to being stubborn, it seemed. At least he was feeling better.

“No, I wasn’t. I wouldn’t have died, Jazz. I wouldn’t have even been seriously injured. I’m not as fragile as humans.” Alice twisted the stems of each small flower over and under the next one, creating a chain with practiced speed. 

“No hurting Master. Don’t…” he hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I will not allow.”

“Jasper, you can’t stop everything that wants to hurt me. It’s okay.” 

“Can try,” he grumbled, looking away. Alice just smiled. Jasper was a special sort of soft when he wanted to be. It warmed her heart knowing that he was comfortable enough with her to make little comments. Somehow, she doubted his previous masters had been so considerate. 

She turned quickly, dropping the flower crown on his head before he could move. “There!” She clapped her hands together, smiling up at him. “Perfect.”

He looked up, confused, brushing a finger lightly over one of the small, white flowers. “A reward?”

“A gift,” she corrected. He nodded in understanding, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“A gift.”

  
  



	8. The Kind of Love I've Been Dreaming of

There’s nothing more frustrating than making the same mistake twice. Well, maybe there is. Making the same mistake twenty-three times in a span of fifteen minutes is pretty frustrating. Breaking twenty-three pencils, which Jasper is certain are more expensive than Esme lets on, has him ready to throw in the towel. Pencils, he’s come to understand, are just the perfect weight and density to be snapped at the smallest amount of pressure. Even while Esme guides him hand-over-hand, number twenty-four snaps the moment the dark end touches the paper.

The only thing that really makes it easier is how calm Esme is, and how patient she remains even when he can’t learn, when the pencils won’t stay consistent, and when he growls and tears the paper he’s supposed to be writing on in half.

“Just try again, Jasper,” Esme says, brushing the shards of wood off the table and crumpling the paper up until it’s small enough to fit in her pocket. “Don’t worry, we had to buy pencils in bulk for Emmett.”

They take a break in the dining room, away from the mess in the garage, and Jasper’s new task was sewing, something he found himself much more adept at despite the needle being much smaller and more delicate than a pencil. It wasn’t about self improvement anymore, not about writing his own name or learning to spell Fox and Dog. This, Esme had so patiently explained to him, was Alice’s favorite dress. It’s pink and red and frilly and tight and shines when the light catches it at the right angle, but, as Esme shows him, has begun to tear at the seams. 

“We could patch the tears,” Esme pokes a finger through one of the holes as Jasper watches carefully, his brow furrowed. He can smell Alice on the dress, and it’s comforting to know that a part of her is so close even while she’s so far away. In fact, the whole house is dusted with little signs of Alice, and Jasper is starting to understand that his Master has much more say in how their territory is run than he had originally assumed. “But that’s not a long term solution. It’s better to pull out the threat and replace it, like this.”

That’s how Jasper found himself painstakingly re-threading Alice’s dress, glancing up at Esme curiously every few minutes as she works with the loud machine. When she catches him doing so, she doesn’t stare back, doesn’t frown or tell him to look back down, just smiles and continues on with her work.

It takes Jasper nearly an hour to figure out what he’s feeling, to identify the emotion that has so consistently filled the room. It’s the emotion that the taller of the two men he had killed felt for the other, the emotion that Esme and Carlisle felt for Alice. A good emotion, he decides, one that makes him feel safe and wanted and unconditionally cared for in that moment. Esme seems to notice his shifting attention and comes to look at his progress, pride emanating from her in waves. 

“Beautiful, Jasper! Look at that! Your stitches are perfect,” Esme gushes, rubbing her hand against his back. “Alice is going to love this!” Before Jasper can stop himself, his head is against her arm and he’s trying his best to maximize the amount of physical contact he can get, just to get more of the feeling to soak into his skin. “Come here, Honey.” Esme pulls him even closer, hugging him just as hard as Alice does, but in a completely different way. 

“Are you my mom?” Jasper manages from where his head is pressed against Esme’s neck. Esme’s only response is to hold him tighter, whispering promises of a home and a family here for him forever. 

  
  



	9. The Fear of Fellow Man

Alice couldn’t buy westerns fast enough for Jasper. While she was happy he’d found a deep love for reading, it was getting harder and harder to find books that would interest him that weren’t overly complex. She normally had a list of recommendations on her phone that she could pull out at any given moment, but Jasper had thoroughly exhausted them. Having admitted defeat, at least for the time being, Alice led Jasper back into Carlisle’s study, assuming that the doctor must have  _ something _ interesting to read in here. He’d been alive for hundreds of years, after all.

Alice was running her fingers along the leather spines, feeling the weathered grooves as her eyes slid lightning-fast over the names scrawled on the side. She should really get Carlisle some new books. Jasper had wandered to go stare at the pictures and paintings along the wall. He had told her once, very quietly, that he liked the colors. She could feel the peaceful waves coming off of him, the ability combined with the familiarity of his presence relaxing her. 

“Know him,” Jasper’s voice was low, but it instantly drew Alice’s attention. She smiled softly, glancing back over her shoulder.

“Yeah, there are a few pictures of Carlisle on there.”

“No. Him. Know him.” He was insistent. Alice skipped around the desk, her feet ghosting over the wooden floor until she was once again at his side. She followed his finger, and felt her whole body tense. He was pointing at the large painting in the middle of the wall, right at Caius.

Alice turned to face Jasper, suddenly very serious. “How do you know him, Jazz?”

Jasper gave her a worried look. “Just a picture. Not real.” He glanced at Caius’s face, and then back at Alice.

“Jasper, that’s Caius. Carlisle lived with him and the other two men there for a few years.”

Jasper shook his head, staring back at the picture. He was running into the woods, then watching her, then reaching for the painting again, then curling up in the corner, then he was gone again. Alice blindly reached out to grab his arm, but her fingers closed around the air. She was too late.

Alice flew down the stairs, calling out mentally for Edward while listening carefully for any sign as to where Jasper might have gone. He didn’t like enclosed spaces, so there was no worry of him locking himself in a closet or anything, but if he had fled into town…

_ “Edward!!!” _ She called out again, stopping in the middle of the living room and listening very carefully for any rustling. She heard a commotion from upstairs, and saw both of her brothers peek their heads over the railing.

“What’s-” Emmett started.

“I think I can hear him.” Edward interrupted, nodding to Alice. She stared at him and, in an instant, knew where to go. The pair ran out of the house, a confused Emmett on their heels. As they ran, Edward filled Emmett in on their predicament, the younger Cullen as surprised as the rest of them at Jasper’s familiarity to the blonde Volturi member. 

“Why would the Volturi have even been associated with a bunch of British nobles?”

“I don’t know, Edward, but you didn’t see the look on his face. He wasn’t lying.”

“I didn’t say-”

“Um, guys?” Emmett interrupted, pointing up. At the top of a large tree, perched like some sort of bird, was Jasper. He was staring down at them, unblinking, his blonde curls a mess around his face, making him look wild.

“Jasper!” Alice called up to him, “Everything’s okay! That man isn’t here!” He didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. “Please, come down here so we can help!” Nothing. It surprised Alice. She couldn’t remember the last time Jasper had looked so afraid of  _ her. _ It made her sick to her stomach. She was supposed to protect him, and it seemed like she was doing a pretty terrible job of it. Even at the base of the tree, she could feel the waves of pure panic pour off of him, her chest aching in sympathy.

Without hesitating, she reached a hand out and caught Emmett’s arm in mid-swing.

“Drop it.”

“Oh, come on.”

“Emmett!” Her head snapped in his direction, glaring at him until the pinecone fell from his hand. 

“We’re trying to get him down, right? Tell me my way wouldn’t have worked.”

Alice fixed him with an unamused stare. “It wouldn’t have worked.”

“Well, I don’t-”

“Shush, you two!” Edward’s eyes were closed. “I’m trying to concentrate. His thoughts are so erratic, it’s hard to sift through them.” His lips were moving, silently trying to work through the complicated flashes that must be Jasper’s mind. “I keep seeing Caius. You were right, Alice. He definitely knew him. But he’s… far off. In the background. I don’t think he was calling the shots.”

“What’s going on out here?” Carlisle’s voice was like music to Alice’s ears, and she felt her shoulders sag in relief. Surely he would be able to help.

“Jasper recognized Caius in a painting in your office, and now…” She gestured to the top of the tree, where Jasper was still staring down at them. “We can’t get him to come down, and I don’t wanna frighten him any worse.”

Carlisle patted Alice on the shoulder, smiling his calm, doctor-smile that was usually reserved for nervous patients. “It’s going to be fine, Alice. I’ll handle it.”

Jasper was frozen in the upper branches of a tree. He didn’t like being still. It reminded him of torpor, his chest aching and his muscles tensed. He normally fidgeted, even just a little, to remind himself that he  _ could _ more than anything. But the fear had gripped him so forcefully that he wasn’t sure he could move if he wanted to. 

He  _ knew _ that man. He had felt the delight coming off of him while he was tied up. The sick pleasure when he was locked away.  _ Carlisle _ knew that man. They had worked together, or so Master had said. Were they still working together? Would Carlisle hand him over? Would Master allow it? He couldn’t stand the thought of being trapped again. A long, painful whine tore through his throat, and he gripped the spot over his chest where the deep scar seemed to burn.

“Jasper?” A soft voice carried through the trees, startling him. His head whipped around in the direction of the voice, eyes immediately focusing on the blonde man perched two trees away. Jasper stepped back, moving carefully away from Carlisle. “It’s okay,” the doctor called, “I’m going to stay right here, alright?”

Jasper watched him, waiting for any more movement. Once satisfied that he wasn’t about to be ambushed, he relaxed a little. 

“Edward said you recognized Caius, the man in my painting.” Jasper leaned back a little, staring unblinkingly at Carlisle. “I would never lie to you, Jasper. I did live with them for a time, but we had strong disagreements on our place in this world. I haven’t spoken with them in some time, but their portrait reminds me of that time in my life, so I do not forget the lessons I learned with them. 

“Jasper, if they were as involved as Edward seems to believe in what happened to you, please know that I had no idea. If I had, I would have stepped in. I am  _ sorry _ that I couldn’t step in. That I couldn’t offer you some relief or rescue from your torment. What I can offer now is safety. They will not reach you here, and they will not harm you. You are a member of our family, and we will protect you just like you protect Alice.” Carlisle smiled softly at him and added, “You are not alone anymore, Jasper.”

The two stared at each other across the expanse of the treetops. Jasper slowly nodded, the tension in his shoulders fading. Carlisle had called him “family.” Jasper couldn’t remember ever being called that before. It felt… right, like he fit somewhere for the first time in his long life.

“Can I come over there?” Carlisle asked. Jasper nodded again, watching as the older vampire made his way across with ease. He settled beside Jasper, patting him on the shoulder. “Everything is going to be alright.”

Without thinking, Jasper wrapped his arms around Carlisle. The other man hugged him back, Jasper melting in his arms. Carlisle patted him once more on the back, the gesture so full of kindness and acceptance that Jasper thought this strange new emotion in his chest would burst out of him. After a few minutes, they both pulled apart. Carlisle smiled at him once more and asked, “Are you ready to head back down, son?”

  
  



End file.
